City to prepare comp plan policies

By Lisa Neff. Islander Reporter

Holmes Beach officials are embarking on a process to establish new policies reflecting changes in the city’s comprehensive plan.

In May, the Florida Department of Community Affairs reviewed and approved Holmes Beach’s comprehensive plan amendments. The city had submitted changes — environmental and appraisal report amendments that impacted most sections of the city’s comp plan — in February.

To move forward with changes to the comp plan, the city must adopt a series of policies, according to planning consultant Bill Brisson.

Brisson said the comp plan changes require provisions to be added to the land-development code, as well as revisions to existing city regulations.

The LDC changes must be made within a year, he added.

One new policy will address regulations for the new mixed-use district identified in the comp plan and another will implement zoning changes to bring certain properties into compliance with the future land-use map in the comp plan.

The zoning changes include:

• Changing from Residential-4 to Preservation-1 properties west of the erosion control line from the city’s southern boundary to 31st Street.

• Changing from Residential-1 to Public/Semi-Public-1 the parking area at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Holmes Beach.

• Changing from Public/Semi-Public-1 to Residential-2 the properties at 417-419 Clark Drive.

The most complicated work likely will involve preparing the regulations for the new mixed-use overlay district in central or downtown Holmes Beach.

The district, as detailed in the comp plan amendment, allows for residences on the second or third floors of buildings with commercial, public or recreational operations on the ground floor.

Holmes Beach City Commission Chair Sandy Haas-Martens said she wanted to complete the process this year.

“Let’s see if we can get it done before Christmas,” she said.

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